My C2 1965 convertible was purchased with a 350, 1969 Camaro engine. I would like to identify what the car was originally equiped with in regard to engine and transmission. I have no idea where to start looking. A 7000 tach i believe implies a 300 or 350 horse power. Thats about all I can guess. Also, like many other C2's, there seems to be a drain on the battery. I have checked all the fuses, I think no lights including the glove box are the problem. I have a new alternator. I can charge and it actually discharges while driving. Any thoughts?
Smokey

 

Welcome to the forum! Where does your tach start to red line? It could have been a small block fuelie or even a big block, depending on how early the vin is. The clock or glove box lamp would be the most likely ones to drain a battery. It could be the switch is not all the way off or in ACC mode. Make sure the radio is off. Somebody may have wired it up differently. Post some pictures of the car when you can.

 

I agree, glove box light is usually the culprit.

 

[[b]QUOTE=turbodog96;1599340652]My C2 1965 convertible was purchased with a 350, 1969 Camaro engine. I would like to identify what the car was originally equiped with in regard to engine and transmission. I have no idea where to start looking. A 7000 tach i believe implies a 300 or 350 horse power. Thats about all I can guess. Also, like many other C2's, there seems to be a drain on the battery. I have checked all the fuses, I think no lights including the glove box are the problem. I have a new alternator. I can charge and it actually discharges while driving. Any thoughts?
Smokey[/QUOTE]

Hi Smokey - welcome the forum!

Engine: As said before - pictures of your car engine bay, and dash would help the forum help you. Even though the engine was replaced some original components my have transferred over - especially if it was a high horsepower engine. There should be a tag on the back of the instrument cluster that has a number you can look up. This will give you a general range of engines. Take a picture of it and post it here

Transmission - there are several numbers on the transmission (cast and stamped) that you can take pictures of an post here

Electrical - What I would do it remove the negative battery cable and connect a test light to the cable and touch the negative battery post with the metal probe of the light. If the light goes on you have a power draw. Remove a fuse and try it again - repeat until you find fuse that stops the current draw. Then focus on the things on that circuit.

Phil

 

All C2"s have a 7000 RPM tach. A clue if it has the original tach would be where the red line starts. 5500, 6000, or 6500. You may never be able to tell for sure unless you have some original paperwork like the pop, build sheet, or window sticker.

 

If the car has an aftermarket radio disconnect both power wires to it and see if that doesn't stop your drain. It did on both of mine.

 

I found in many cases that the wiper motor was a drawing power with everything shut off. Disconnect both plugs to the wiper motor and test. If that checks out good disconnect both wires from the alternator and test again. Both of these items are powered up without a fuse.

 

Welcome. I'll focus on one question. What engine/transmission did your car come with (BTW, it's often better to ask separate technical questions in separate threads).

As others have said, all C2s had 7000 rpm tachometers. What is more important is what are your red lines, also what are the markings on your oil pressure gauge. About 90% of 65s were built with 327s, the remainder with 396s (very desirable). Eliminate whether yours had the big block 396 by confirming whether or not it had/has the rear sway bar, and whether the stub axles have bolted on caps. Get back with that info, and we can go from there. If you're feeling flexible and sporty, take an inspection mirror and flashlight and see if you can find the two indicators on the back of your gage pod: (1) The paper tag, which will say LA, LB, or LC, and the date stamp, which is a rubber-stamped date which should be shortly before your car's final assembly date.

Is there any reason that you believe that the transmission is not original? The reason I asked is that the Muncie M20/21 is a sturdy unit and while engines are often replaced, these trannies are often left in place, and provide additional clues. You can crawl under the car and see if the car's VIN derivative is stamped into the tranny case side flange - if so, it's almost certainly the original tranny. Also, the differential has a VIN derivative stamped into it, confirming it's originality, and will have stampings indicating the ratio and whether or not it was built as a Positraction, which are also clues to the original drivetrain.

There are also sometimes under hood clues, but start with the above, and we can get back to undressed if necessary, and if you're interested.

 

If it discharges while driving you have a major issue, is probably is not charging and I would check that first, easy to do with a voltmeter on the battery look for more than 12.5 volts running, hopefully 13.5-14.0. then you can look for the drain when shut off

 

I have not heard of any vin derivative stamped into any mid year differential housing.


yes, probably thinking of matching date code.

 

Don, did I go too much from memory there?

Then I'm probably thinking about a matching date code? It's been awhile.

 

Thanks for all who have posted. I will get on all that was suggested. Being that this is my first post I will be sure to separate future questions. Hoods can be changed, but mine does not have the 396 bubble type hood. The tach redlines at 6500. Also, the glovebox has a new bulb and it does not light. How do you go about checking the light? The car was made the first of January (5th). The VIN is 194675S106000. Apparently early in 65 the rivets that attach the VIN did not have the rosette edges and were round (as mine are) . Later they went totally with the rosettes.
Smokey

 

your car was built three months TOO early to be a real 396 car

 

And Smokey

Pictures please

 

Smokey:

Your car was built too early to have been assembled as a 396. A 6500 red line indicates a solid lifter cam, so either an L76 (365 HP) or L84 (Fuel Injected). Please confirm the bands for the yellow and red bands so we can confirm this, also, what are the pressure gradients on your oil pressure gage?

For example, my 1 June 1965 L76 327 yellow line goes from 6300-6500 prm and the red line goes from 6500-7000 rpm, and the oil pressure gage reads 0 - 40 - 80 psi from left to right.

While almost 10% of all 1965s were built at L76s, these are desirable engines; however, only 771 L84 fuelies were built and are extremely desirable, but costly to restore to originality.

 

didn't fuelie cars have different brackets for the air cleaner?,

and different wiper motors [due to the fuelie unit clearances?]

 

there would be holes in the inner fender for the air cleaner not sure on wiper motor not to mention the FI only radiator support for the air cleaner duct hole. but service replacement supports were the FI ones as well

 

The wire going to the glove box light switch (orange or black with orange stripe) should have 12v on it anytime the battery is connected. The same fuse that feeds the brake lights feeds it, so if the brake lights (and courtesy lights) are working it's not the fuse. The ground is the metal ring the switch mounts in on the glove box surround. What turns on the light is to open the glove box and the switch extends and shorts the other side of the bulb to ground, lighting the bulb. You could have no voltage on the wire, a bad switch, or a bad bulb.

 

The bracket to attach the air cleaner to left inner fender is welded to the air cleaner housing. Three bolts go through holes in the inner fender to secure the air cleaner.
No bracket is riveted to the inner fender.

 

stand corrected